


Remember when

by Saraellen10



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hopeful Ending, Prom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:27:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24228076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saraellen10/pseuds/Saraellen10
Summary: What would happen if Jughead found out about the kiss before prom? Now two broken-hearted teens are alone at prom night. This is my take on bughead at prom.
Relationships: Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	Remember when

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the song "August" by Flipturn

_We thought love was something_

_We weren’t meant to find_

_But now you’re a stranger_

_And I’m still July_

_But don’t you remember?_

_August, honey, you were mine_

\--

He did not want to go to prom. In fact, he had no idea why he was currently standing in front of his father wearing a rented tux with a fake smile. His dad was taking a million pictures. He will never understand how his gang leader father turned into such a softie. His father was the only reason he agreed to go to this stupid school function. He knows that his dad missed out on a lot of his childhood and knows that his father will forever feel guilty about it, which is why Jughead is willing to go along with the whole charade. In all fairness, Jughead had never been the type to care about things like prom. He had sworn off all socially extreme events in the sixth grade. 

But for a period of time, he was actually looking forward to this night. He would never admit it, even to her, but the thought of spending a night as a normal teenager was thrilling. He would be under the lights hung across the gymnasium, with her. She would look like a painting. She would be the only person who would still be glowing amidst the low-budget public school lighting. They would dance and fall in love all over again just by looking at one another. There was only one person in the world that could make Jughead Jones lay awake at night and dream of dancing in a public setting. Yet, that very same person broke his heart a month ago. When Betty Cooper kissed Archie Andrews.

He wasn’t going to go to prom. How could he? But with enough nagging from Toni, Fangs, Sweet Pea, and FP, he caved. Jughead is not one to be easily persuaded, but these days he’s too tired to fight. So that’s how he ended up in a limo with his fellow Serpents on the way to what Jughead was sure would be a nightmare of a prom. 

\--

Betty did not want to go to prom. At all. But she was on the committee to plan it, so she was required to go. It’s funny, Betty had been envisioning this night since the fourth grade. Getting ready with her friends and being with a date that would undoubtedly be handsome. A month ago, this would’ve been precisely what Betty’s night would’ve looked like. But now she was in her kitchen alone with no friends and no date. She deserves it. The only person that would’ve been here is Cheryl (the only person that she is on speaking terms with). But Cheryl is out with the love of her life. Love. Ugh. Betty hates that word. Not because she doesn’t believe in it, but because she had found it and with one stupid impulse, watched it crumble away. 

Betty stared out the window of her mom’s car. She watched the houses and trees blur by her, an ironic metaphor for her life. Landmarks of the town reminded Betty of her childhood, growing years, and her first love. One second they were in front of her the next light years behind. It was quite sobering. Betty rested her head against the cool glass and shut her eyes. She just had to get through the night. 

\--

Prom was as overrated as pre-teen Jughead imagined it would be. His classmates desperately trying to hold onto their youth. He didn’t understand the point in pretending; he was miserable. He had sucked it up and attempted to dance with his friends. He didn’t want to wreck their nights just because he was dying on the inside. After about an hour of forced coming of age fun, he went to get some punch. That’s when she walked in. 

When he saw her, his heart dropped to the bottom of his chest. He doesn’t know why he’s surprised to see her; she did plan the whole thing. But nothing would ever prepare him to see her when she looks as she does right now. 

Her hair was released from its usual elastic prison and fell in soft golden waves down to her shoulders. She was wearing an emerald dress that hugged her in all the right places and flowed when she moved. God, her face. Her eyes. Her fucking eyes. He swore they held the universe in them. She was beautiful. Jughead had always thought Betty Cooper was, but tonight was something out of a movie. 

But that feeling was shortly replaced by a stabbing pain. The pain reminding him of all that he had lost, and the pain of seeing his past, present, and future in her. How could he still see so much hope for himself in the person that hurt him the most? 

\--

Betty was only in the gym for 5 minutes and hated every second of it. She saw him at the punch bowl. He looked amazing. She wanted nothing more than to run up to him and touch him, embrace him, and just be with him. She lost that right, though. She wasn’t allowed to feel that way anymore. She didn’t even feel deserving enough to look at him. 

She sat down at an empty table in the back. She watched all of her friends on the dance floor. She saw Veronica and Kevin laughing together in the photo booth, Reggie shoveling desserts onto his plate, and Cheryl and Toni getting ready to be inevitable prom royalty. She smiled, watching the whole night unfold. Seeing the people that she cared about being genuinely happy was enough for her. Because even though she didn’t deserve to feel joy tonight, her classmates sure as hell did. 

\--

She stayed like that for a while, watching everyone around her soak up this final high school milestone. 

Until she felt someone tap her shoulder and almost fell out of her chair. 

It was Jughead.

“Um, sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She could not believe he was even talking to her.

“Oh um, you didn’t. I was just kinda spacing out,” chuckling nervously. 

He took her in, all of her, and paused for moment, 

“You look great, Betts.”

She smiled and responded in a voice so tiny she didn’t recognize it.

“Thank you.” 

There was a beat of silence. For the life of her she couldn’t figure out why he was talking to her.

“You look nice too… never thought I’d see the day when Jughead Jones wears a tuxedo.”

He mustered a laugh and scratched the back of his neck nervously,

“Yeah, uh, you can thank my dad for that.”

Truth be told, Jughead had no clue what possessed him to walk over to her. But deep down, he knew that they had been through too much together. And to not share some part of this night together would be cruel. He also knew that in a few months, they would probably never see each other again. And for some reason that tore him apart. 

“Jughead, I know I said this a million times, but… I’m sorry. Sorry that I hurt you, and sorry that I made such a stupid mistake....I messed up.”

Jughead was tired. Tired of feeling the way he was. Tired of everything. Just so fucking tired. 

Jughead sighed, 

“Do you want to dance?”

Betty was stunned. After what she did to him, she couldn’t fathom a reason he would want to dance with her. 

“W-Why? If you’re just trying to be nice, you don’t have to, and I get it.”

Jughead took her hands, forcing her to stand up and look him in the eyes.

“Because if you can mess up, so can I.”

\--

And with that, he guided her to the dance floor. They swayed to the beat of the music, and they subconsciously fell back into their old rhythm. Betty ran her fingers through his hair, and Jughead pulled her in close. She rested her head on his shoulder. They danced like that for the rest of the night. 

Neither really knew what would happen after that. But the two tragic lovers relished every beat of that night. Everyone around them thought they were crazy, to rekindle a flame that is only doomed to burn out time and time again. But as long as they keep making mistakes, who knows, maybe their love could be eternal. 

\--

_Well I’ve loved you from the start_

_And I’ve loved you from the start_

  
  



End file.
